This invention relates to a panel for applying to a building and a method for producing the same.
Conventionally there are various methods for treating surface of a building, such as laying tiles, applying a synthetic resin finish and the like. Among them, a method for applying small stones to the whole surface to be treated is preferred in view of the decorative appearance and durability. For example, these methods include so-called "aggregate exposed finish by washing", "aggregate exposed finish by scraping" and the like, wherein a mixture of cement and aggregate is troweled on a wall surface foundation, and then the cement is washed off or scraped away by a wire brush. There is also a "sprayed finish", wherein sticky paint is coated on a wall surface and an aggregate is sprayed thereon to harden.
The above-mentioned conventional methods are conducted not only with objects for practical use, such as giving durability, preventing sliding, but also for giving a decorative appearance and being thick and heavy to provide protection for the building.
However, there are some disadvantages to these methods in that it is difficult to treat surfaces indoors due to using water in the aggregate exposed finish by washing. Also, the aggregates fall off in the lower portion of the surface to be treated due to the flow of too much water. In the process of aggregate exposed finish by scraping, debris is produced and the decorative appearance is lessened. Both finishes require substantial manual labor to be effective, require comparatively high level technology, and are expensive.
Furthermore in the spraying finish, sticky paint was used originally from a view point of preventing cracking of the wall surface treated. However, spraying of the aggregate such as sand is done in advance to prevent dust and the like from adhering to the painted surface. Therefore, a spraying type finish is preferable for a large scale treatment, but the adhesiveness of the paint is not so strong so that it is difficult to adhere the aggregate uniformly. There still are disadvantages in that loss of the aggregate is caused up to about 30% by aggregate particles colliding with each other, and the place to be treated is limited due to the noise and dust produced.
Scattering of sand is also used on asphalt or concrete while it is still soft for preventing sliding. Here, however, the finish is uneven or the adhering is not complete enough to obtain a satisfactory effect.
A dry process may be used in which cement products and the like have small stones adhered thereon during manufacture in a factory, or laid and adhered at a job site. In this process, small stones are spread over a frame base and cement is poured thereon and hardened in the shape of the frame. This forms a product having only end portions of the small stones exposed. The surface of product, after being hardened, does not have a pleasing appearance like the aggregate exposed finish by washing. That is, the cement enters not only the space between the frame base and the small stones, but also in the spaces between the small stones.
Also, in a process which involves placing the small stones on the cement poured in the frame before hardening, since there are some buried small stones, it is difficult, if not impossible, to arrange and level the small stones exposed surfaces.
Recently, a decrease of working at a job site is required from the viewpoint of problems such as shortening of the working period, environmental contamination and the like.
Accordingly, a panel for application at the job site which is able to be treated simply in dry process and to have durability and decorative appearance like in the aggregate exposed finish by washing process has been required.